Airbag vests/ jackets etc - Yay, nay, don't care?

[Deadpool2]

Yay or Nay.

Following the usual excellent videos from Fort Nine (on youtube) he tested airbag jackets/ vests.

It sort of makes sense, but if so, why don't more people use them (other than cost and lack of wow factor)? I know I mentioned cost but I think Merlin do a jacket for around £350, which is not unreasonable compared to that current kit costs.

Link to vid if anyone is interested

[weeksy]

I'd like one, potentially.... I wouldn't like one for the price they are, along with the £100 a year in fees etc.

I think it's more worthwhile on circuit, but i don't see me doing much there any more so no biggy.

[Taipan]

I remember a number of years back, when I first saw one being promoted, that this will be a game changer and we'd all be wearing them within a few years as all manufacturers adopted the tech, but no? I think I would wear one, but tbh, waterproofing is a bigger concern than accident protection.

[Deadpool2]

I dont think they all have subs and I am unsure of how they cope with abrasion, expensive for single use only, I guess

[Horse]

http://www.evuonline.org/index.php/publ ... le&id=2919


Inflatable protective motorcyclist jackets (“air jackets”) are a key innovation that has the potential to reduce the severity of injuries experienced by motorcyclists during collisions. Despite transfer of the technology from the motorsport industry, the relative benefits and disbenefits of these potentially life-saving technologies, in terms of effectiveness, reliability, cost and comfort, are currently unknown.

Research literature and data from motorcycle collisions in the UK’s Road Accident In-Depth Studies (RAIDS) were analysed to understand the nature of the injuries sustained by motorcyclists. The thorax was often the most severely injured body region. The head, abdomen, spine and pelvis were also frequently injured and often at a high severity. Injuries to the thorax were often the most prevalent serious (AIS 3+) and severe (AIS 4+) injury. At the AIS 3+ level, the thoracic region was often the most severely injured body region (when a single region dominated) or joint most severely injured body region.

The specifications of 39 state-of-the-art air jacket models were evaluated and followed up by a review of literature to establish the effectiveness of air jackets for reducing the risks of injuries during falls and collisions.

The majority of air jackets on the market do not have a guaranteed minimum level of protection. Only a quarter of air jacket models claimed to have deployment times that could protect riders during the majority of collisions and falls (<100 ms).

[Skub]

I couldn't care less about airbags.

Bike clothing still barely manages to keep the rain out in most cases,I'd be way more interested in an improvement there.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

In my 27 years of riding motorcycles I've fallen off a few times, I've injured the following, knees, toes, elbows, hands, shoulders and in one slightly freaky accident my coccyx, I don't think an air jacket would have prevented any of these injuries, the coccyx was particularly painful by the way, so air shorts would be more use, the other place I see as being useful would be an air collar that took up the space between your shoulders and the bottom of your crash helmet when inflated.

[Horse]

There is at least one air jacket which covers the coccyx. Always assuming it inflates before you land.

One of the problems with choosing is that they all cover different amounts of neck & torso.

So, the key point is to decide what crash 'mechanism' you want to be protected from, then get the appropriate jacket.

One other point that has been mentioned previously (here or TRC) is hip/pelvis protection. I read recently that many motorcyclist pelvic injuries are 'open book', so air protection might be unable to prevent them.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

If I had to make a choice I'd go with protecting the neck, while my own pelvic/coccyx injuries were very painful there was no danger of me dying from them (though I was told by the consultant that I was extremely lucky to still be walking)

[Noggin]

I'm a bit interested in them and a friend out here keeps telling me that it essential for me when I get back to riding

But I can't see how one would have prevented my injury or how it will protect the new shoulder

I like the idea of more protection around the neck

But the one thing I want is protection of the shoulders (well ok, my right shoulder).

So I'll probably just get on with putting decent fitting armour on and trying harder not to crash!!!

[Horse]

Have a good search as the amount of coverage varies enormously.

[Horse]

https://www.alpinestars.com/collections/tech-air

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

https://hovding.com/

It's intended for cycling rather than motorcycles, but an interesting (but slightly daft) idea

[Horse]

In comparison tests, they come out well.

[Noggin]

https://www.alpinestars.com/collections/tech-air

I think the price might be why I didn't look further!!!

I would love one, 650€ is beyond me right now, but achievable. But then -

after release, the vest must be sent, as only trained personnel are allowed to repair gas cartridges - release service EUR 299.95
every two years the vest can be sent in for maintenance, which extends the warranty by an additional two years (maximum 10 years possible) - maintenance service EUR 99.95

Even more reason not to crash!! LOL Didn't realise they were that expensive to service after use You kinda need two cos if you 'use' one and it works, then you need a second to use until the first is back from servicing

But, appreciate the link. When I last looked I didn't see the shouldery ones (probably in rehab with half a brain working!!)

[niggle]

The one demonstrated by Fort Nine is a bit more reasonably priced and ditto the canister that you can replace yourself:

https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/gb/Heli ... d8QAvD_BwE

https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/Helite- ... 18871.aspx

Plus spare lanyards for multiple bikes: https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/Helite- ... 18872.aspx

EDIT: correction the one Fort Nine tested is a little more expensive:

https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/Helite- ... 25461.aspx

Not sure if the V2 is any safer or just more refined.

[Deadpool2]

I think the v2 has an even larger back protector.

[Horse]

Nice to know that they encourage 'The Jump'. I wonder whether it's mentioned in the owner manual?

20210318_172332.jpg (143.89 KiB) Viewed 1225 times

[Noggin]

The one demonstrated by Fort Nine is a bit more reasonably priced and ditto the canister that you can replace yourself:

https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/gb/Heli ... d8QAvD_BwE

https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/Helite- ... 18871.aspx

Plus spare lanyards for multiple bikes: https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/Helite- ... 18872.aspx

EDIT: correction the one Fort Nine tested is a little more expensive:

https://www.thevisorshop.com/en/Helite- ... 25461.aspx

Not sure if the V2 is any safer or just more refined.

Does look good but, the thing I really liked about the expensive-to-service one is the shoulder coverage. I don't intend to fall off a bike onto my shoulder again, but then I didn't 'intend' to do it the first time!! So I do fully intend to try and sort out decent protection around the shoulder (partly because if I fuck up this replacement it will be very difficult to rebuild it again - although I'm sure they'll succeed somehow!! )

My brother was telling me yesterday that I needed (NEEDED) to get an air vest!! So I will do more investigation and try and find something that fits (fit being the second most important bit after shoulder protection!!)

[mangocrazy]

Call me old fashioned (and it's a fair call) but anything that that works on a subscription model can go fuck itself. If I buy something outright I don't expect to keep on paying for use of said item. If the airbag deploys and does what it's supposed to do, I'd be happy to buy a new gas canister (or whatever) and fit it myself. It's analagous to the 'right to repair' legislation that's currently being signed into law. I would never, ever buy a leasehold property - why should I effectively buy a piece of leasehold PPE?